7 `Only, be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded thee; thou dost not turn aside from it right or left, so that thou dost act wisely in every `place' whither thou goest;
`And ye have observed to do as Jehovah your God hath commanded you, ye turn not aside -- right or left;
As Jehovah commanded Moses His servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so hath Joshua done; he hath not turned aside a thing of all that Jehovah commanded Moses.
and thou dost not turn aside from all the words which I am commanding you to-day -- right or left -- to go after other gods, to serve them.
and layeth his hands upon him, and chargeth him, as Jehovah hath spoken by the hand of Moses.
and ye have kept the words of this covenant, and done them, so that ye cause all that ye do to prosper.
And Moses calleth for Joshua, and saith unto him before the eyes of all Israel, `Be strong and courageous, for thou -- thou dost go in with this people unto the land which Jehovah hath sworn to their fathers to give to them, and thou -- thou dost cause them to inherit it;
the book of this law doth not depart out of thy mouth, and thou hast meditated in it by day and by night, so that thou dost observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely.
and kept the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commands, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that thou dost wisely all that thou dost, and whithersoever thou turnest,
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Commentary on Joshua 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Book of Joshua
Chapter 1
The book begins with the history, not of Joshua's life (many remarkable passages of that we had before in the books of Moses) but of his reign and government. In this chapter,
Jos 1:1-9
Honour is here put upon Joshua, and great power lodged in his hand, by him that is the fountain of honour and power, and by whom kings reign. Instructions are given him by Infinite Wisdom, and encouragements by the God of all consolation. God had before spoken to Moses concerning him (Num. 27:18), but now he speaks to him (v. 1), probably as he spoke to Moses (Lev. 1:1) out of the tabernacle of the congregation, where Joshua had with Moses presented himself (Deu. 31:14), to learn the way of attending there. Though Eleazar had the breast-plate of judgment, which Joshua was directed to consult as there was occasion (Num. 27:21), yet, for his greater encouragement, God here speaks to him immediately, some think in a dream or vision (as Job 33:15); for though God has tied us to instituted ordinances, in them to attend him, yet he has not tied himself to them, but that he may without them make himself known to his people, and speak to their hearts otherwise than by their ears. Concerning Joshua's call to the government observe here,
Jos 1:10-15
Joshua, being settled in the government, immediately applies himself to business; not to take state or to take his pleasure, but to further the work of God among, the people over whom God had set him. As he that desires the office of a minister (1 Tim. 3:1), so he that desires the office of a magistrate, desires a work, a good work; neither is preferred to be idle.
Jos 1:16-18
This answer was given not by the two tribes and a half only (though they are spoken of immediately before), but by the officers of all the people (v. 10), as their representatives, concurring with the divine appointment, by which Joshua was set over them, and they did it heartily, and with a great deal of cheerfulness and resolution.